Anger is simmering in Serbia: thousands of protesters are demanding early elections.

Thousands of people gathered on Saturday in Novi Sad, northern Serbia, to commemorate the victims of the deadly collapse of a train station canopy in 2024 and to demand early general elections. This demonstration is part of a broader anti-government movement that has been sweeping the country for several months.

The disaster, which claimed 16 lives, deeply affected Serbian public opinion. In the weeks that followed, demonstrations led mainly by students spread across the country, putting pressure on President Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling party, the Serbian Progressive Party.

The protesters, supported by opposition parties and several human rights organizations, believe the Novi Sad train station accident is a symptom of a broader problem. They denounce mismanagement of public projects, a lack of infrastructure oversight, and what they consider endemic corruption within the state apparatus.

Despite temperatures nearing 30 degrees Celsius, thousands of people marched through the streets of Novi Sad, the country's second-largest city. Participants chanted anti-government slogans and held up signs calling for political change. Many protesters also wore T-shirts bearing the message: "The students are winning."

The student movement, which has become one of the main driving forces behind the protests, claims it wants to transform this popular mobilization into a political force. Its representatives hope to challenge the government in the upcoming legislative and presidential elections.

The next elections are officially scheduled for 2027. However, Aleksandar Vučić recently hinted that he might call early elections in the coming months, a prospect that is fueling the expectations of the opposition and protesters.

This latest show of force in Novi Sad confirms that the 2024 disaster continues to fuel deep popular discontent. More than a tribute to the victims, the mobilization has become the symbol of a political challenge that now threatens one of the most influential leaders in the Balkans.